Electric feed-water regulator



W. M. REICHART.

ELECTRIC FEED WATER REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-27. I919.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

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ELECTRIC FEED-WATER REGULATOR.

T 0 all 10 7mm it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. REICHART, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Feed-Water Regula tors, of which the fOllOWiIlg is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best modein which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved electrically operated pump regulator affected by pressure, in combinationwith similarly operated individual regulators for one or more boilers supplied from said pump, whereby the supply of water to said boilers may be automatically controlled by the levelof the water therein.

A further object is to provide an improved form of electrical contact foruse in the water columns of such boilers whereby the control apparatus may be energized.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed-means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing V Figure 1 is a more or less diagrammatic view showing a battery of boilers with my improved electrical feed water regulator. installed in connection therewith; Fig. 2 is a similar diagrammatic view, but on a some what enlarged scale, of a detail of the electrical apparatus; Fig. 3 isa similar section likewise on av somewhat largerscale of one of the water columns showing the circuitclosing means which are incorporated therein; Fig. ,4: illustrates another adaptation of the invention'; and Fig. 5 is asection of a detail. i

As indicated above, my improved feed water regulator maybe utilized either in connection with one'or aplurality, 6., a

. battery of boilers 1, two being shown in the drawing by way of illustration. The type, as well as the number of such boilers, is, of course, va matter of indiiference, the function of the apparatus being simply to maintain the water level in such boilers at the proper Specification of Letters Iatent.

Application filed February 27, 1919.

good conducting material Patented Get. 25, 1921.

Serial No. 279,480.

height, not only t avoid danger, but to secure uniform and economic operation. For supplying the water to the boilers, a pump 2, shown as of the reciprocating steam-engine type, is connected by means of a suitable pipe line 3 and branches 4; leading therefrom with the individual boilers. In each such branch, a valve 5 of the globe type, 2". e.,

to retain the valve open, the amount of the opening being'capable of variation by adjustment of the nuts 11 on the bolt 12, whereby the spring is attached tothe bracket 13 or other fixed support on which the valve actuating mechanism is mounted.

The electrical connections for energizing the electro-magnets 6 include a contact device in each of the corresponding water columns 15, whereby, when the level of the water in the boiler rises to a pre-determined height, the circuit to the particular electromagnet will. be closed, the plunger armature pulled inwardly and the valve rotated to gradually close the branch line that supplies water to said boiler. Preferably the circuit closing or contact means (see Fig. 3) consist of a disk-like plate 16 of copper or other supported in a chamber 16 having free connection with the column at the proper level, 2'. 6., near the upper end of the column and in a horizontal plane, as by a depending rod 17 that is insulated from the walls of the column and is connected with one lead 18 from the battery 19 or other source used to supply the necessary current. The other lead 20 for the elec- .when the level of the water again drops.

The current is thus thrown in and cut out completely and not gradually, insurmg prompt response n the part of the electromagnet. It will be understood, of course, that as soon as the current is cut off and the electromagnet becomes dead, the spring 10 restores the valve to its normal, open position.

A similar but somewhat larger electromagnet 25 is utilized to control the operation of the pump. such electro-magnet likewise having a plunger type armature 26, to the free end of which is attached a chain 27 that passes around a suitable wheel 28 on the valve 29 controlling the admission of steam to the pump. The other end of this chain is attached to a tension spring 30 adjustably secured by means of a bolt 32 to the bracket 33 that supports the valveactuating mechanism as before, whereby the valve is normally maintained in open position, the amount of the opening being capable of variation by adjustment of the nuts 31 on the bolt 32. The supply of current to the electro-magnet in this case is controlled by the pressure in the air dome 35 over the water end of the pump, a suitable gage 36 on such dome being provided with a finger 37 that serves to close contacts in a branch circuit 38 as clearly indicated in Fig. 1. a It follows from the arrangement described that whenever all oi the boilers are shut off from the feed line, due to the fact that the water level therein is high enough to contact'with the plates in the several water columns, the pump quickly builds up a pressure sufficient to close the circuit through the electromagnet 25, thereby actuating the valve 29 to shut oil the supply of steam and thus stop the pump. As soon, however, as one or more of the branches 4 to the boilers is opened, the pressure is relieved, the current cut off said electro-magnet, and the spring 30 again becomes eiiective'to open the valve in the steam'line.

Since it does not require as much electric energy to hold this valve closed as to actually. close it and the continued flow of full strength of current would tend to heat the magnet winding, a resistance coil 40 is arranged to be introduced into the circuit 38 when the armature is drawn fully in. A pair of spring contacts 41 servenormally to cut this resistance out, but when the armature 26 is drawn in, a wedge-shaped member 42 thereon engages with said contacts 41 to spread the same, thus forcing. the current to flow through the resistance and correspondingly reduce the same.

The valve 29 in the steamiine, whereby the pump is operated, as well as the valves 9 in the branches 4 from the water line 3 to the individual boilers, are set so that when fully open under the action of the corresponding tension springs, a little more than the amount of steam or water, as the case may be, 1s supplied than necessary. When the circuit is closed through the corresponding electro-magnet, the valve operated thereby will be shut gradually and need not be closed entirely. In other words, the operation will ordinarily be simply to reduce the regular flow to a point where the desired condition as to water level is maintained in the boilers. The various features taken singly and in combination provide a successfully operative electric system of regulation for boiler feed which has numerous advantages over mechanical regulators, as will be obvious. 7

My improved regulator may, of course, be employed for other purposes than to control the feed-water to the boilers. Thus in Fig. 7

4. it is shown as adapted to the control of the stoking mechanism 45, or rather of the engine 45, whereby such mechanism is operated. A solenoid 25, with appurtenances 6X- actly as last described above is arranged to control the supply of steam to such engine,

the circuit including leads 46, through which the current is supplied to said solenoid, being normally open but adapted to be closed by a device 47 responsive to the steam pres-' sure in the boiler, or boilers, as the case may be. The details of this device, as shown in Fig. 5, include a contactmeniber 48 carried by the stem 49 of a piston 50 that isreciprocably held in a suitable cylinder 51.

As the pressure of the steam" in this cylinder increases it raises said piston against compression spring 52, until finally the point is reached where the member 48 bridges the terminals 53 of the leads 46 and thus actuates the solenoid to shut oil the supply of steam to the engine, as will be readily understood.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being madeas regards the mechanism herein disclosed, pro.-

vided the means stated by any of'the follow-,

ing claims orthe equivalent ofsuch stated means be employed. v I therefore particularly point'out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. An electrical regulatorfor boilers, prising a valve; a wheel connected to operate said valve; a chain passing around said wheel; a. tension spring connected with one come end ofsaid chain and normallyfretaining said valve open; and an electro-magnet hav-. .120

ing an armature connectedwith the other end of said chain and adapted to close said valve. I. V i

2. An electrical regulator for boilers, comprising a valve; 2. wheel connected tofoperate said valve; a chain'p'assing' around said :Wl'lGQl; a tension spring connected with one end of said chain and normally retaining said valve open; means adapted to adjust the open positionof said valve; and an electro-magnet having an armature connected with the other end of said chain and adapted to close said valve.

3. An electrical regulator for boilers, comprising a valve; a wheel connected to operate said valve; a chain passing around said wheel; a tension spring connected with one end of said chain and normally retaining said valve open; means adapted to vary the tension of said spring to correspondingly vary the open position of said valve; and an electro-magnet having an armature connected with the other end of said chain and adapted to close said valve.

at. Anelectrical regulator for boilers, co1nprising a valve; means normally retaining said valve in open position; an electro-magnet adapted to close said valve; circuit connections for said electro-magnet; a resistance; and means adapted to out said resistance in said connections when said valve is closed.

An electrical feed-water regulator for boilers, comprising a valve; means normally retaining said valve in open position; an electromagnet adapted to close said valve; circuit connections for said electro-magnet; means for closing said connections, including a water column connected with one lead to said electro-Inagnet; and a horizontal plate of conducting material connected with the other such lead, said plate being supported within but insulated from said column. lgiigned by me, this 5th day of February,

WILLIAM M. REIGHART. 

